As a newbie here, I've been wanting to research free camping for van dwelling myself, so I turned it into a quick guide. There's three main methods and 21 different ways to do free camping.

The Free Camping Via Web Search Method

Generally the first method for anyone finding
free campsites is searching the internet. There are several really great
directories out there to find free camping. Some of them are better than others
overall, but each have their own strength and weaknesses. Here’s a list of the
best of those sites in no particular order.

#1 Freecampsites.net

Probably my favorite on this list, freecampsites.net is
a huge directory of free campsites curated by the thousands of users that visit
the site every day. A typical listing will tell you how the site is rated, show
pictures of the site, and will usually include qualitative descriptions of how
you get to some of the more out of spots on the map.

In addition to having a large directory of
free and cheap camp sites, their trip planner makes it easy to see all the
listings along a particular route so you can plan your trip around free sites.

#2 Boondockers Welcome

Boondockers Welcome is something like a
paid social network of RVers who let other RVers camp in their driveways or on
their private land. The fee as of writing is $19.95/year for people offering to
host (and boondock themselves) and $24.95/year for people who just want to
boondock and not host.

#3 Campendium

Campendium is a lot like FreeCampsites.net.
In fact, there is a lot of overlap in the campsite listings. It even seems a
little more complete than FreeCampsites. However, there are some free spots
exclusive to both so it’s worth checking them. Campendium is a little more
professional looking and has a few useful features that FreeCampsites doesn’t.

First, reviewers have the ability to record
cell signal strength and wifi signal at a particular site. Lots of reviews
means lots of data on cell strength across networks.

Second, I like the rating system a little
better. It breaks down the ratings into five really helpful categories:

*Access

*Location

*Cleanliness

*Site Quality

*Noise

Breaking them down that way gives you a much broader view of the quality of the camp site in question.

Third, you can filter campsites by “free” which is a huge help sorting through the paid options.

#4 Ultimate Campgrounds

Ultimate Campgrounds has one thing going
for it. They have an app. Other than that, they have most of the same listings
Freecampsites.net and Campendium have, without the helpful extras, like
reviews.

#5 AllStays

AllStays is, according to this really great in-depth review,
a great app for finding campsites of any cost. I haven’t personally used it yet
(I have a dumb phone), but I plan on trying it out as soon as I can. The
desktop website leaves a lot to be desired, so it looks like the app is the
only viable option to take full advantage of their data. According to Kait
Russo (author of the review linked above) finding free campsites on AllStays
requires the use of a few filters in your search:

…use the “Avg Rate – Free” advanced filter or
“Forest”, “Overnight Parking”, “Public Lands”, “Walmart Ask to Park” and “Rest”
filters. Be sure to check the rest area for restrictions on overnight parking.

#6 Couchsurfing.org

Couchsurfing.org is more of a social network than a website. It’s also more for people who actually need to find a roof over their heads than van dwellers who need a driveway to park in. That said, it’s still a great place to find people who are willing to put you up free for a night or two. Getting on there and talking to people will most likely land you with a free spot anywhere you can think of in the US and Canada. Couchsurfing is an international phenomenon too. Most of the world’s best travel destinations have people who are willing to host you. Just be sure to let them know you’re bringing your own roof and all you need is some parking for the night.

#7 PublicLands.org

If you’re a little more adventurous and are out west, PublicLands.org lists many of the same free campsites as the websites above, but it also gives you extensive data on public land and wilderness areas so you can find your own free camping spots. The data stops once you get east of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico, but it’s a significant enough portion of the US to list it here.

The Free Camping Via Overnight Parking Method

Besides looking through endless listings on digital screens, there’s always stores and institutions that allow overnight parking. If you’re near a town and just want a safe place to park for the night, there’s a lot of big box stores that will allow you to park overnight for free. Here’s the most complete listing I could make of those stores. Also, if you’re looking for a database of these all in one place, overnightrvparking.com sells access to its data for $24.95/year.

#8 Casinos

Casinos love it when people gamble. They make money. And they’ll bend over backwards to accommodate anyone with even a remote prospect of gambling. That includes people with RVs or vans. Most casinos provide free overnight parking for anyone who reserves a spot. Some even offer some free money for gambling. The website casinocamping.com is the best resource for finding free casino campsites.

#9 WalMart

Walmart allows overnight parking in just about all of its locations. There are a few exceptions between local laws and individual manager preferences. It’s always a good idea to call the local
Walmart before you set up there, but it’s by far the most popular option for
most van dwellers and RV campers on the road.

Truck stops of all stripes often allow overnight parking. But be warned, some
truckers don’t take kindly to anyone other than truckers parking there as spots are generally at a premium.

#16 Rest Areas

Rest areas tend to vary more widely than places like Wal Mart when it comes to overnight parking. Be sure to call ahead, or check sites like AllStays (above) to learn whether the one you’re approaching accepts overnight camping.

Free Camping Via Miscellaneous Methods

Beyond big box stores and online directories, there are always unconventional, yet still effective strategies for finding free parking on the road. Here are some of them.

#17 Family and Friends

Family or friends are always a good source for free camping. Plus, you get to
catch up and tell them all about your travels. One of the things Callie and I
are most excited about for when we move into the van is the opportunity to
visit a lot of college friends that scattered across the country right after we
all graduated.

#18 Wwoofing

Wwoof stands
for World-wide opportunities on organic farms. It’s essentially a work/shelter
exchange program. You travel around and work on organic farms. The organic
farms shelter you and feed you. Most of these farms, because they’re farms,
generally have room for RVs and van dwellers. To participate, you’ll need a
membership to whatever country’s organization you’re travelling in.

#19 Ask the Police

Sometimes, contrary to popular belief, police can be friendly. In fact, local
police usually know best where the best free parking in the city is. I’ve heard
some stories of people doing overnights in the station parking lot just because
they asked nicely.

#20 Paper Maps

Good ol’fashioned paper maps can be a great resource for free camping. Not only
do they show you public lands, they also work without an internet connection. Benchmark maps are particularly favored by the RV and #vanlife crowds.

#21 Exploring

Just plain exploring where you have a hunch might be good free camping can
often bring a windfall of good campsites. The folks from Kombi Life do it all the time, and they tend to find the absolute best spots in their
travels.

Great post! I wish I had something like this 3 years ago when i started the vanlife.

City streets often have free parking after 6 or 8pm, so if you're in a big city and in a bind to find a place to park overnight, check signs and parking meters to see when/where you can park for free. I use this trick when staying in San Fransisco... there's a great place to stay overnight behind the grocery store in the marina district.

If you participate in certain sports, there are places that allow overnighting for weeks/months on end as long as you're participating in those activities. I won't be more explicit than that since a lot of these places aren't (and shouldn't be) listed on these free camping sites (because they require "membership" in a particular sport). I'm currently camping just outside a MAJOR city for free because I participate in one of these sports that are friendly to nomadism.

Edit to add: You can still overnight in truck stops... just don't take up a space that's for a trucker... use regular parking spaces. Some places like Loves and Flying J/Pilot have RV specific parking spaces. I do this all the time and have never had a problem.

Brilliant compendium - thank you for posting! Came here to add that you can google maps of highway rest areas, E.G. California; Oregon, etc., which are usually pretty serviceable for grabbing a few zzz's before moving on. They tend to be safe and convenient, and even the ones that prohibit overnight "camping" are fine to catch a few hours of sleep - I've never had any problems.